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New York Knicks: Mario Hezonja finds himself in Trey Burke’s spot

By Rob Wolkenbrod

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - NOVEMBER 14: Mario Hezonja #8 of the New York Knicks passes the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 14, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - NOVEMBER 14: Mario Hezonja #8 of the New York Knicks passes the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 14, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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As head coach David Fizdale shuffles the New York Knicks rotation, Mario Hezonja became the latest player to fall out.

The New York Knicks were never expected to compete for the playoffs in 2018-19, but they still had a healthy problem of too many players to use in the rotation. Allonzo Trier‘s surprise presence only added to this.

It went away when Kevin Knox sat out seven games with an ankle injury, but his return, along with Emmanuel Mudiay‘s play, clogged the rotation.

Trey Burke became the first casualty. Before Friday, he hadn’t played in three of the previous four games, with the one in between due to the Orlando Magic clobbering the Knicks at home.

Against the New Orleans Pelicans, Burke entered the game early when the Knicks were ahead. He scored 24 points in 25 minutes and likely earned playing time for consecutive games. However, his rise was Mario Hezonja‘s demise.

The Croation forward’s on-court time varied by the game — sometimes topping 30 minutes, but also falling to 18, 12 or even nine minutes.

On Friday, Hezonja failed to play for the first time this season. It came after back-to-back nights of 3-for-9 shooting. He had a 6-for-8 night sandwiched between that and a 6-for-20 run on Nov. 5 and 7 against the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, respectively.

For the season, Hezonja has 9.2 points and 3.9 rebounds on 39.7 percent shooting and 28 percent from behind the arc.

The former lottery pick’s talent is clear. He’s 6-foot-8 with the athleticism to drive by defenders and the shooting ability from all over the court. Consistency has eluded him, however. Mostly on his perimeter game that features sometimes questionable shot selection.

The Knicks play a good pace with Hezonja, though, at 102.07, per NBA Advanced Stats. Fizdale wanted this to improve and inserted Mudiay and Kevin Knox to help. So, the fourth-year man would help this, right?

Maybe so, but given Friday’s game, it seemed Hezonja was left behind in the frontcourt depth. Knox, Noah Vonleh, Mitchell Robinson and Enes Kanter played ahead of him, and Frank Ntilikina even found time as an undersized four.

Plus, Fizdale went with smaller, guard-oriented offenses. Thus, Burke’s inclusion and the use of three point guards.

Hezonja could have played in a smaller lineup, but Knox, Ntilikina and even Damyean Dotson were made the smaller four’s. Vonleh stepped in for two-big lineups.

Who stepped up in loss to Pelicans?. dark. Next

As the rotation goes through trial runs, it will continue to change. That may mean Hezonja finds another 20 minutes in the next game or remains on the bench. It’s a game-by-game process, with nothing set in stone for the New York Knicks.

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